Combined bootjack and mud scraper



0ct.'10, 1950 M. H. JoHNsToNE 2,525,174

COMBINEDBOOTJACK AND MUD SCRAPER Filed Aug. 23. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l i 3mm b` WN ATTORNEY Oct. lo, 1950 M JQHNSTONE l 2,525,174

COMBINED BOOTJACK AND MUD SCRAPER Filed Aug. 23, 1948 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY vPatented ct. 170,

l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFC e 2,525,174 ooMBiNED BooTJAoK AND MUD scRAPER Myron'H. Johnstone, Manistee, Mich. Application August 23, 1948, serial No. 45,750

2 Claims. (ci. 223-114) its principal object is to provideha versatile device which can be used Vin the manner of an ordinary bootjack toremove shoes, boots, overshoes andthe like, or as a mudscraper, and which can be mounted more or less permanently on a floor, pavement or the like or whichcan be laid loosely and unattached on a iloor. v Y V An important object of` the `invention is to combine the foregoing features in asingle device, adapted to be sold as a unit and to be employed by the purchaser either indoors or outdoors, interchangeably for use as `a Hbootjacl; or mud scraper. 4

A related object is toprovidea device of the character described which will be highly attracintended functions, and. economical to make.

An incidental object is toinclude ina boot-y jack a single element, which will alternatively function as a mud scraping member or as a supporting rest for the bootjack and which will protect the floor finish or floor covering from injury when the structure is used indoors.

The foregoing and other related objects and advantages will be more evident from the following description of a preferred form of embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a bootjack embodying the principles of the invention, mounted as a more or less permanent installation, preferably outdoors, for use as a combined bootjack and mud scraper, the device being shown in posi-V tion to function asa bootjack;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the device in use as a bootjack;

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View showing'the device in use as a mud scraper;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4fi of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View showing the parts arranged to function as a bootjack for use indoors; and

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective View of the complete device.

In these drawings the reference numeral I designates a block, best made'of hardwood such as maple, having generally the conventional shape of a bootjacii. Such a block is of substantial thickness, such as one inch more or less, and has tapering sides so that one end is approximately twice as wide as -the other. The Wider end is formed with an inwardly tapering indentation 2, with the walls of the indentation bevelled slightly upwardly and outwardly, Yso that the heel portion of a shoe, boot, overshoe or the like of any size within a wide range of sizes maybe seated inthe indentation to be held whileV pulling stress is exerted to remove the shoe or the like, in a well understood manner.

In order to incline the block l sufliciently. froml thefloor or pavement on whichr it is placed in use, so as to produce a slight elevation of the indentation 2, a rest or support 3 is provided for attachment to the intermediate portion of whatl may be regarded as the under surface il of the block. This rest is a combination member which is `adapted to function also as a mud scraping blade and it therefore. has'a Yspecial andr novel shape. It comprises a stifffsheet metal member having a base 5 and two substantially right angularly turned edge flanges 6l and l. The flange e is longer and wider than the flange l, and the flange 6 and the base 5 are both provided with a plurality of holes 8, such as the three shown in the illustrated embodiment. Each set of holes comprises the same number of openings, arranged in the same pattern, so that screws can be turned through either set of holes into a corresponding single group of holes lil drilled into the under surface il of the block, thus causing either the larger flange 6 to extend right angularly from the block, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or causing the base 5 to extend right angularly from the block, with the smaller fiange 'i disposed more or less parallel to the under surface fs of the block, as shown in Fig. 5.

The larger flange 6 is a mud scraping element, since it comprises a blade having an unflanged edge well adapted to be used in scraping mud, snow and the like from the sole, heel and instep of a shoe or the like, as shown in Fig. 3. This flange also serves as a rest for inclining the block for use as a bootjack, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To set the device for use in either of these two Ways it is necessary only to position it with the projecting flange 6 extending downwardly, for bootjack use as shown in Figs. l and 2, or to turn the device over so that the flange will extend upwardly and the block can be used for mud. scraping, as shown in Fig. 3. As will be observed, it is not necessary to change the setting of the member 3 on the block to convert the device from one use to the other. v

When the member 3 is applied to the block as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, for alternative use as a bootjack rest or as a mud scraper, the device is best suited for use outdoors, on a porch, pavement or the like. It is desirable to make such installation more or less permanent, so as to avoid loss or misplacing. Such installation is readily eiected by hinging the narrow end of the block to the oor or pavement, as by means of a yoke Il having its base provided with holes l2 through which screws or the like may be set as shown in Fig. 4 and having its end legs similarly drilled at I4 to receive screws I5 which are set into holes I6 in the side walls of the block. By such mounting it is a simple matter to swing the block from its position of Figs. 1 and 2 to its Fig. 3 position, and back again, so as to convert it instantly from use as a mud scraper to use as a bootjack.

For indoor use, where no mud scraping function is desired, and where it is therefore unnecessary to swing the block over so as to cause the member 3 to extend upwardly from it, the hinge structure may be discarded. The block is held in place simply by pressing one foot on its narrower end portion while a shoe is being removed from the other foot, in the usual manner. In such case the member 3 functions solely as a rest for elevating the indented end of the block. In order to protect the interior floor nish or such oor covering as a rug or carpet, it is desirable to arrange the member 3 on the surface 4 of the block in the manner shown in Fig. 5. This consists in setting the screws 9 through the openings 8 in the larger flange 6 of the member, so that the base projects right angularly from the block. This base has its outer edge trimmed by the flange 1, which provides a sort of foot of wide enough area to prevent damage being done to any surface on which it may rest.

The device is sold as a packaged unit, consisting of the block, the member 3, the hinge and the necessary screws and washers. The purchaser mounts the member 3 in either the manner shown 4 in Fig. 2 or Fig. 5, depending on whether he intends to use the device outdoors or indoors, and he uses or does not use the hinge in accordance with the mounting which he intends to adopt. Of course it is possible at any time to change the arrangement by simply changing the relation of the member 3 to the block and by adding the hinge or removing it.

I claim:

1. A bootjack comprising a block having an inwardly tapering indentation entering from one end, a hinge positioned at its other end for mounting the block on a floor or the like, and an element secured to an intermediate portion of the block for serving as a combined mud scraper and rest, said element comprising a metallic angle member having one leg fastened to the block and its other leg projecting right-angularly therefrom.

2. A bootjack comprising a block adapted to be mounted on a floor or the like and having an inwardly tapering indentation entering from one end, and an element secured to the under surface of an intermediate portion of the block comprising a metllic angle member having one leg fastened to the block and having its other leg projecting right-angularly therefrom and provided with a, ange substantially right-angularly directed from its free edge.

MYRON H. JOHNSTONE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 63,844 Boss Apr. 16, 1867 147,069 Sawyer et al Feb. 3, 1874 

